Contaminated Irish pork found in China

There are still untraced consignments of contaminated Irish pork in circulation around the world the Irish Department of Agriculture has announced.

This was confirmed after 23 tonnes of frozen Irish pork found to be contaminated with dioxins was uncovered in China yesterday. The levels of contaminants were very high, between 80 and 200 times the recommended safety limit.

The pork was imported through the Shanghai Customs on Oct. 30. China's entry-exit and quarantine inspectors detained about 312 tonnes of Irish pork products across the country, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) said in December. Chinese inspectors sealed the pork and ordered the firm to send it back.

“There will still be some contaminated pork turning up here and there. We are still in the process of recalling the meat so this is bound to still be happening. There are some consignments in other countries [which have still not been recalled],” a Department of Agriculture spokesman said.